This year, 5 US states are considering amendments to their constitutions to remove language similar to the 13th Amendment. Historian Robert T. Chase joins Rattling the Bars to discuss what altering these state constitutions would really mean for incarcerated people.
Robert T. Chase is associate professor of history at Stony Brook University, State University of New York (SUNY). He is the author of We Are Not Slaves: State Violence, Coerced Labor, and Prisoners Rights in Postwar America (UNC, 2020).
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As a non US citizen, I am shocked. Prisoners work should be a rehabilitation privilege, not a forced slave labor format. It may be reasonable for the pay (decent pay) to be divided between the prisoner (savings) and the prison system (cost refund).
Wherever there's profit, there's someone thinking they can make more profit – in this case, out of making more prisoners work, having more prisoners, or making prisoners work harder. Prison aren't an appropriate profit centre.
Look into what Oklahoma does. Literally railroads young people into work at chicken processing factories. Sick sick sick. You'll never eat chicken again.
Forced education would be far better than forced labour, Spent convictions would go a long way to help people put the past behind them.
You Have the Right… NOT in the Governments Blue Gestapo Police State! The Government Enforcers, ATF, FBI, & IRS are coming for you!
You have the "Right" until the Government takes it Away! We call that a "Privilege" granted by your Ruling Masters to suit their needs not yours!
The freedoms we forfeit today are the freedoms our children will never know tomorrow. May your “Rights” RIP.
When the Government’s Boot is on your throat, weather it is a LEFT Boot, RIGHT Boot, or a BLUE GESTAPO Boot is of NO Consequence! It is still the Government Boot!
The Beatings Will Continue… Until Your Compliance Improves… they want good Unarmed Obedient Slaves!
Major General Smedley Butler USMC – "There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights!
Privacy, Freedom, & Liberty for the People! Accountability & Mandatory Minimums for the Oppressive Government & their Crimes against the Citizens!.”
When has the Government Passed a LAW to Protect your “Rights” or Grant you more “Privileges”? NEVER
Has anyone else noticed… every time the Government passes a Law… the People Lose their Quality of Life, Money, Privacy, Liberty, and Rights while the Ruling Masters become wealthier?
At list It looks to me that US have took those not only nazi officials to put in Cia and other structures, but nazist ideology as well. It is so clear now, when Azov's criminals are going to schools to promote their "ideology".
Let's not forget that prison labor also helps to drive down wages across the board. It's a lose/lose situation for everybody except the ownership class.
Thanks Mansa!!! So important.
Lots of ' non violent drug offenders' pled down from worse charges-
Which is why many cops are against legalization.
Everybody has to work in order to survive. If the average worker stops working, what do you think is going to happen?
My friend Jason, who serve 26 years in Texas prisons, said he intentionally caused trouble, to keep himself in maximum security, so as to be left alone, as he didn’t want to be enslaved working for pennies.
How many people in prison follow these same actions to get away from the slavery system that’s run in these prisons?
Also, how many politicians are invested in prisons systems that maximize profits over the workers???
There are PRIVATE prisons…….let that sink in…..PRIVATELY owned prisons……
Excellent podcast
Is a corrupted system
Private prisons should be illegal as well
M K ULTRA is in action
Vote for Less government.
Thank you for this excellent discussion. The profit motive, and system of white supremacy, infuse and pervade many of our laws and institutions, and even our foreign policy. The entire system needs an overhaul.
“Human beings” if referring to those that have committed crimes NOT related to violence, murder, rape, child related crimes, then yes, we are talking about human beings and they have rights.
But, those that committed crimes against children, violence against any human bing, those caminamos, shouldn’t have any ignite at all since they chosen to ignórate their victims rights, and behaved like MONSTERS, then why should they be treated us human beings or have any rights at all? They should pay and not be paid for what they did.
What a fabulous presentation! I love the compassion and common sense from both of these gentlemen.
I was in prison for 5 years. What prisoners really want is to be able to work and make money. You need money to buy things like deodorant and shampoo.
I think everyone should experience slavery to see if they are for it or against it. You’d be surprised how many people would be against it. 😂
America is a failed State. stop trying to give it legitimacy by trying to save it.
This is evil racist country, they always have still wanted slavery, destruction and punishment from God is coming and basically here,
Wrong!!!!
You don't get to use "Slavery" as a definition (after 150 years).
Behave yourself; and you won't get put in prison.
69% of 'prisoners' in prison are black…..but that seems to be because blacks can't behave themselves. LOOK AT THE STATISTICS.
I'm FAR from a racist—I'm a realist. Get real!!! Police your your public!
Guns are illegal in Chicago…but the OBNOXIOUS death toll in Chicago, is "black on black' death crime. IT'S A FACT!!!!!!!!
we love eddie
work will set u free
So we should pay the prisoners? First off, it was the inmates choice to commit the crime, the inmate knew the consistency when he committed the crime. He made the choice. If we do end up paying them then we would raise everyone's taxes to pay the #slaves#. So we will be paying the murders, drug
Dealers, and child molesters……..clown